Unless a fiscal agent is designated, The NEA Foundation will make the grant payable directly to the lead applicant as an individual. In this case, the IRS may consider the grant personal income and therefore taxable. The Foundation, by law, must issue you a 1099 (reporting form for miscellaneous income) at the end of the year, a copy of which goes directly to the IRS. Fiscal agents, on the other hand, are usually non-profit organizations and thus able to accept the funds without tax liability. The NEA Foundation is not qualified to give tax advice, and makes no recommendations about whether or not you should designate a fiscal agent; the choice is up to each applicant. We suggest you consult with a tax advisor or accountant if you are unsure.

This depends mostly on the administrative structure of your school district, college, or university. If you are unsure of the procedure, consult with your principal, someone from the central office, your dean, or someone from your institution's sponsored research office. You may also wish to consult colleagues who have previously received grants to find out about their experience. A representative of the organization you designate as fiscal agent must sign the applicant data sheet where indicated. This individual must be authorized to represent and act in the name of the organization, specifically in the receipt, disbursement, and oversight of grant monies. In addition, you should be careful to verify that the address of the fiscal agent entered on the form is the correct and complete mailing address to which a check may be sent.

It is your responsibility as a grantee to follow up with the fiscal agent organization to make sure you receive your funds when you need them. If a check issued by The NEA Foundation (either to an individual or an organization) does not arrive within a reasonable period after award notification and appears to have been misplaced or lost in transit, you should contact the foundation. However, there will be a minimum waiting period of 60 days from such notification before The NEA Foundation will stop payment on the original check and issue a new one.

If you wish to have a fiscal agent accept the grant in the event that your proposal is approved, you must designate the agent at the time of your original application. The NEA Foundation will not consider requests to appoint a fiscal agent after an award has been made.

Whether or not a fiscal agent is designated, all grantees are personally responsible for submitting a complete and accurate account of all grant expenditures by the deadline specified in your award letter. If you have a fiscal agent, you should arrange to obtain an accounting of expenditures for the final report several weeks prior to its due date.

DISCLAIMER: The above should be considered general information rather than specific tax advice. We recommend you consult a tax specialist or accountant with any questions about your situation.